


I Would Like a Horse

by Burgie



Series: SSO Medieval AU [11]
Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-12-03 19:01:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11538489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Louisa finds new happiness.





	I Would Like a Horse

Usually whenever Louisa was left alone in the manor, it felt big and empty. But now… now, she still had some lingering happiness in her heart from making a new potential friend or ally in Duchess Zelda. And from riding that horse… that wonderful, beautiful, magnificent stallion, with his gleaming black coat and glorious mane and tail. Louisa thought of him for the long hours that it took for her husband to arrive home, sitting in the nursery with her son cradled in her arms. Having Richard helped with the loneliness too, of course.

“I shall have you have riding lessons when you are old enough,” Louisa murmured to her son, stroking his little crop of dark brown hair. She kissed his forehead, and Richard clutched at her necklace with a chubby little baby fist. She smiled down at him. “Yes, you like the necklace that daddy got mummy, don’t you?” she cooed. “Mummy likes it too.” It had been given to her as a gift on her wedding day, a token of Scott’s love for her along with the wedding ring.

“I suspected that I might find you in here,” said a familiar voice, and Louisa glanced up to see her husband standing in the doorway. He had removed the cloak that he’d worn to the meeting, and he already looked more comfortable.

“Hello, my love,” said Louisa. “Yes, I am afraid that I… ran away from the meeting. I was…”

“I understand,” said Scott, and walked to stand beside her. “Lady Zelda’s men told me where you were.”

“I apologise for leaving so suddenly,” said Louisa.

“It is okay,” said Scott, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. “At least you had the courage to go in the first place.”

“I mostly went for you,” said Louisa. “You are the only one whom I feel I can trust. Or, you were.”

“Oh?” said Scott, seeing the smile return to his wife’s face. “Have you met an ally?”

“An ally, and… possibly, if Fortuna smiles on me, a friend,” said Louisa. Her earlier embarrassment was receding now, replaced with an unusual brightness. Scott smiled upon seeing this change. He would have to thank Lady Zelda for being kind to his wife, when next he spoke to her.

“That is wonderful to hear,” said Scott, leaning down to kiss her.

“Oh, and she had the most beautiful horse, he was a shiny black and his mane and tail were just gorgeous,” said Louisa. “And she allowed me to sit behind her when she brought me back to the manor, and being up so high just felt so…” She trailed off, unable to find words, and Scott could only beam at the brightness in her eyes.

“I am glad that you made an ally,” said Scott. “Aideen knows you need them.”

“Yes. And I have decided something,” said Louisa.

“And what is that?” asked Scott, seeing an unfamiliar determination on her face.

“I would like a horse of my own to ride,” said Louisa, sounding more sure of herself than she ever had before. “Please.”

“Consider it done,” said Scott. “I am sure that someone around here will have a beautiful horse to suit you.”

“Oh, thank you!” Louisa cried, grinning. “I’d hug you but I’m holding Richard.”

“Tomorrow, we will begin our search for your horse,” said Scott. He knew that she could ride, having ridden with her a few times during their courtship. But that had been on borrowed horses, Louisa had never had one of her own.

And so, the very next day, the two of them set out, taking one of the Buttergood family’s carriages so as to traverse the land easier. Louisa found a similar horse to Zelda’s in the village, but this one was spotted rather than a solid black.

They travelled all the way to Silverglade before Louisa finally found a horse that stole her heart.

“You,” said Louisa, standing in front of the bay Andalusian mare and holding her hand out to be sniffed. After the mare deemed her to not be a threat, Louisa stroked her nose, staring awestruck up at the majestic creature.

“Yes, she is a good mare,” said the Master of Horse, a dark-haired woman by the name of Judy. “Good for fairly-experienced riders.”

“I have ridden before,” said Louisa. “But I have never had a horse to call my own.” Scott tensed, ready for Judy to say something cruel, but she didn’t. Perhaps the rumours had not spread this far, or perhaps Judy was simply a kind woman who did not care for gossip.

“Well, I am sure that this mare would love for you to be her rider,” said Judy.

“Leaving her here would break my heart,” said Louisa. “I simply must have her.”

“And what will you name her?” asked Judy, taking out the appropriate papers.

“Smokeeye,” said Louisa after scanning the list of available names. 

“A good name,” said Judy, nodding. “Good luck with your new horse.”

“Thank you,” said Louisa, turning to hug her husband tightly while Judy got Smokeeye ready for the journey back to Crescent Moon Village.

“You deserve the world,” said Scott, running his fingers through her hair. “You can even ride her home some of the way if you would like.”

“I would love that,” said Louisa. Fortunately, Judy was more than happy to supply tack along with the mare.

And, as Scott watched Louisa riding Smokeeye from the carriage window on the journey home, he marvelled at the sight. He had never seen his wife look so confident and happy before. Hopefully, Smokeeye would be a shield against the vicious gossip that circled her rider. If nothing else, she could physically remove her from the nasty looks and comments.

Louisa rode Smokeeye all the way home, and, even when they stopped at an inn for the night, she got up early the next morning to take Smokeeye for a gallop through the woods. She felt like she was flying, her heart soaring, like everything would be okay.


End file.
